Zong-Yuan Zhao of New South Wales achieved the coveted grandmaster title in January, at the age of 21 – a record in Australasia. Following his trip to Russia to compete in the World Cup in November last year, Zhao stayed on in Europe to strive for grandmaster norms – part qualifications for the title which are hard to achieve on this side of the world. After winning tournaments in Hungary and Spain he completed the title requirements with a high placing at the very strong Gibtelecom Open in Gibraltar.
New Zealand chess fans' hopes are that GM Zhao's success can be emulated by 17 year old IM Puchen Wang of Auckland, who has embarked on a year of full-time chess in an effort to become New Zealand's second grandmaster. This column will cover his progress from time to time.
Today's game is the fifth-round win that set up Zhao's final GM norm in Gibraltar. He is playing White against USA number two, Hikaru Nakamura, who won the event with 8/10.
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. exd6 exd6 6. Nc3 Be7 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Nge2 Bg4
Alekine's Defence is a provocative choice by Black, hoping that White's extended centre will become a weakness in the long run. 9. h3 Bh5 10. Be3 O-O 11. d5 Ne5 12. b3 Bf6 13. Rc1 Bg5 14. f4 Bh4+ 15. Bf2 Bxe2?!
Allowing White to keep his 'bad' light squared bishop. 15 ... Nxd3+ first would have left fewer winning chances for either side. 16. Bxe2! Bxf2+ 17. Kxf2 Qf6 18. g3 Rae8 19. Re1 Ned7 20. Bf3 Nc5 21. Qd2 a6 22. Kg2 Qf5
Black's knights and rooks lack manouvring space to challenge control of the e-file, so Black aims to exchange queens before White can double rooks and build an attack.
23. Re3 Rxe3 24. Qxe3 Qd3 25. Qxd3 Nxd3 26. Rd1 Nc5 27. Re1 Rd8 28. Re7 Ncd7 29. Be2 Kf8 30. Re3 Nb8
After 30 ... Re8 31 Kf3, Black's knights are still very cramped, so instead he retains rooks and looks for queenside counterplay. 31. Bd3 h6 32. g4 a5 33. Nb5 Na6 34. a3 g5 35. Kf3 Nc5 36. Bc2 Na6 37. Bd3 Nc5 38. Bc2 gxf4 39. Kxf4 a4 40. Nxc7 axb3 41. Bxb3 Nbd7?
Missing the chance to activate his rook and regain the pawn with 41 ... Rc8! 42 Nb5 Nxb3 43 Rxb3 Rxc4+ with better drawing chances. 42. Nb5 Ne5 43. Ba2 Ncd3+ 44. Kf5 Nc1 45. Nxd6! ---
Sacrificing a piece to obtain two connected passed pawns. 45 --- Ng6 46. Nxb7 Rb8 47. c5 Rxb7 48. Bc4 Rb2 49. Ke4 Ke7 50. Kd4+ Kd8 51. c6 Nf4
Once the pawns are united on the sixth rank it is all over – but if 51 ... Kc7 then 52 Rf3 Nh8 53 Kc5 with 54 d6+ to follow. 52. d6 Rd2+ 53. Kc5 Ncd3+ 54. Kb6 Rc2 55. Bxf7
Black resigned here as mate can only be postponed by sacrifices. However, on his last move White missed a pretty mate-in-three featuring a rare underpromotion combination – given as the solution to this weeks diagram.
Australia's youngest grandmaster
Problem: White to play and mate in 3.
Zong-Yuan Zhao of New South Wales achieved the coveted grandmaster title in January, at the age of 21 – a record in Australasia. Following his trip to Russia to compete in the World Cup in November last year, Zhao stayed on in Europe to strive for grandmaster norms – part qualifications for the title which are hard to achieve on this side of the world. After winning tournaments in Hungary and Spain he completed the title requirements with a high placing at the very strong Gibtelecom Open in Gibraltar.
New Zealand chess fans' hopes are that GM Zhao's success can be emulated by 17 year old IM Puchen Wang of Auckland, who has embarked on a year of full-time chess in an effort to become New Zealand's second grandmaster. This column will cover his progress from time to time.
Today's game is the fifth-round win that set up Zhao's final GM norm in Gibraltar. He is playing White against USA number two, Hikaru Nakamura, who won the event with 8/10.
1. e4 Nf6
2. e5 Nd5
3. d4 d6
4. c4 Nb6
5. exd6 exd6
6. Nc3 Be7
7. Bd3 Nc6
8. Nge2 Bg4
Alekine's Defence is a provocative choice by Black, hoping that White's extended centre will become a weakness in the long run.
9. h3 Bh5
10. Be3 O-O
11. d5 Ne5
12. b3 Bf6
13. Rc1 Bg5
14. f4 Bh4+
15. Bf2 Bxe2?!
Allowing White to keep his 'bad' light squared bishop. 15 ... Nxd3+ first would have left fewer winning chances for either side.
16. Bxe2! Bxf2+
17. Kxf2 Qf6
18. g3 Rae8
19. Re1 Ned7
20. Bf3 Nc5
21. Qd2 a6
22. Kg2 Qf5
Black's knights and rooks lack manouvring space to challenge control of the e-file, so Black aims to exchange queens before White can double rooks and build an attack.
23. Re3 Rxe3
24. Qxe3 Qd3
25. Qxd3 Nxd3
26. Rd1 Nc5
27. Re1 Rd8
28. Re7 Ncd7
29. Be2 Kf8
30. Re3 Nb8
After 30 ... Re8 31 Kf3, Black's knights are still very cramped, so instead he retains rooks and looks for queenside counterplay.
31. Bd3 h6
32. g4 a5
33. Nb5 Na6
34. a3 g5
35. Kf3 Nc5
36. Bc2 Na6
37. Bd3 Nc5
38. Bc2 gxf4
39. Kxf4 a4
40. Nxc7 axb3
41. Bxb3 Nbd7?
Missing the chance to activate his rook and regain the pawn with 41 ... Rc8! 42 Nb5 Nxb3 43 Rxb3 Rxc4+ with better drawing chances.
42. Nb5 Ne5
43. Ba2 Ncd3+
44. Kf5 Nc1
45. Nxd6! ---
Sacrificing a piece to obtain two connected passed pawns.
45 --- Ng6
46. Nxb7 Rb8
47. c5 Rxb7
48. Bc4 Rb2
49. Ke4 Ke7
50. Kd4+ Kd8
51. c6 Nf4
Once the pawns are united on the sixth rank it is all over – but if 51 ... Kc7 then 52 Rf3 Nh8 53 Kc5 with 54 d6+ to follow.
52. d6 Rd2+
53. Kc5 Ncd3+
54. Kb6 Rc2
55. Bxf7
Black resigned here as mate can only be postponed by sacrifices. However, on his last move White missed a pretty mate-in-three featuring a rare underpromotion combination – given as the solution to this weeks diagram.
1-0
Solution: 1 c7+ Kd7 ( 1 ... Kc8 2 Re8+ Kd7 3 Rd8#) 2 Re7+! Kxd6 3 c8=N#!